Blank creasing and folding machine



Jan. 19, 1932 H. MITCHELL ET AL 1,841,755

BLANK CREASING AND FOLDING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1930 1 5 Sheets-Sheet l 1932- H. L. MITCHELL ET AL 1,841,755

BLANK CREASING AND FOLDING MACHINE g I {g M Jan. 19, 1932- H. MITCHELL ET AL 1,341,755

BLANK CREASING AND FOLDING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ELI-.22-

19, 1932- H. 1.. MITCHELL ET AL 1,341,755

BLANK CREASING AND FOLDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 23, 1950 fll J 1 356% 622 Patented Jan. 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERBERT L. MITCHELL AND ROBERT C. SHEPHERD, OF HIGH POINT, NORTH CAROLINA.

BLANK CREASING AND FOLDING MACHINE Application filed July 23, 1930. Serial No. 470,188.

The invention relates to a machine for performing creasing and folding operations upon blanks used in the construction of cardboard and analogous cartons.

One aim of the invention is the provision of a novel construction allowing easy adjustment for handling blanks of different sizes.

Further objects are to provide new and :0 improved blank creasing and folding means.

The creasing operations are performed by blades on driven chains, and it is another aim of the invention to so construct these chains as to allow their creasing blades to act as forms about which to fold the blank.

The blank folders upwardly fold por- I tions of the blank about the creasing blades of the chains, and additional means are provided beyond said chains, for downwardly folding said blank portions onto the blank body, and it is another aim of the invention to make provision whereby said folders guide the upwardly folded blank portions into engagement with the additional folding means.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter-described and claimed, descriptionbeing accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a top plan View with the blank feedingv means omitted.

Figs. 2 and 2 elevation.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail vertical section similar to a left hand portion of-Fig. 4.

.Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but illustrating the blank folder in its upwardly swung position.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the creasing chain and associated parts.

Figs. 8 and 9 are perspective views of a portion of the creasing chains, looking in different directions.

jointly disclose a side Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the blank-advancing chains.

The drawings above briefly described illustrate what may be considered as the preferred form of construction, and while such construction will be herein specifically explained, it is to be understood that within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

The machine embodies a base 10 which is elongated in a direction transverse to the length of the machine, the upper side of said base being provided with a trackway which may well consist of parallel rails 11. Two parallel longitudinal side members 12 are secured at their intermediate portions to the base 10 and project in opposite directions .members 13 and are shiftable bodily with the latter when adjusting inwardly or outwardly. These means will be hereinafter fully described.

A track bar 15 which is unidirectional with the tracks 11, has its ends secured at 16 upon the upper edges of the side members 12, and two blank-overlying members 17 which extend longitudinally of the machine, are slidably engaged with said track bar 15 for adjustment toward and from each other. Mounted on and shiftable bodily with these 'members 17 when adjusting them, are the chains which. -perform the blank creasing operations and act as forms about which the creased blanks are folded, as will be hereinafter described.

Screws or the like 18 are provided for inwardly or outwardly adjusting the track members 13, and simultaneous operation of the screws at either side of the machine, may be assured by chain and sprocket connections 1&between them. Provision is made for connecting the blank-overlying members 17 with the track members 13 during adjustment of the latter, to similarly adjust said members 17 and insure that the proper relation between creasing means and folding means shall be maintained. In the present showing, this connecting means consists of two pins 20. These pins are insertible through openings in lugs 21 on the members 17 and their lower ends are receivable in openings in lugs 22 on the track members 13. After adjustment of the members 13 and 17, the pins are removed. The screws 18 will hold the members 13 in adjusted position but locking means (not shown) could well be provided if desired. For holding the members 17 in adjusted position, set screws 23 may be provided to engage the track bar 15.

Adjustment of the members 13 and 17 as above explained, is efiected to condition the machine for operation upon blanks of different sizes. These blanks may be supported by longitudinal slats 24 which are secured to transverse bars 25, the ends of these bars being secured to the side members 12. The bars 24 may be detachably secured to the supporting bars 25 and if inward adjustment of the members 13 and 17 should be necessary to an extent prohibited by said bars 24, some of these bars may be removed.

The upper edges of the track members 13 are provided with .longitudinal channelshaped guides 27 for the upper reaches of blank-advancing chains 28, said chains having blank-engaging lugs 29. The chains 28 are trained around sprockets at the ends of the track members 13, the sprockets at one end being indicated at 30 and being adjustably mounted to take up slack in the chains. The sprockets at the other ends of the track members 13 are slidably mounted upon a transverse shaft 31 (Fig. 2) which drives them and hence operates the chains 28 to advance the blanks through the machine. Shaft 31 is preferably the main drive shaft of the machine and it may be provided with a belt pulley 32 engaging the belt- 33 as seen in igs. 1 and 2, the belt being driven by any desired mechanism.

At the outer sides of the track members 13 and extending longitudinally of their intermediate portions, are two normally lowered, upwardly swingable blank folders 34 each of which preferably embodies a plate having unidirectional flanges 35 at its longi tudinal edges, between which closely spaced parallel rollers 36 are mounted (see Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6). The inner portions of the blank folders 34 are pivoted at 37 to bearing blocks 38, and these blocks are slidable upon lateral projections 39 with which the track members 13 are provided. Coiled compression springs 40 on the members 39, normally force the bearing blocks 38 inwardly against the track members 13 as will be clear from Fig. 5, but said members 34 are provided with cams 41 which engage said track members 13 upon upward swinging of said folders and force the bearing blocks 38 outwardly against the action of the springs 40,

as will be clear from Fig. 6. Thus, as soon as the force holding the folders 34 raised, is released, the springs 40 act to again move the blocks 38 inwardly, thereby restoring said folders to their normal positions.

For upwardly swinging the folders 34, the arrangement shown more particularly in Fig. 3, is employed. In this view, and in others, a lever 42 is shown extending longitudinally and fulcrumed at 43. There is one of these levers for each of the track members 13 and their fulcrums are carried by said track members. The free ends of the levers 42 are loosely connected by links 44 with the folders 34. Between their ends, these levers are provided with double-flanged rollers 45 which are engageable with cams 46. These cams are slidably keyed upon a transverse shaft 47 which is driven by appropriate gearing 48 from a longitudinal shaft 49 mounted at the outer side of one of the members 12, said shaft 49 being driven from the shaft 31, by appropriate gearing 50. By the time any blank has been completely creased, the cams 46 upward ly swing the levers 42, thereby upwardly moving the folders 34 as seen in Fig. 6, thereby upwardly folding portions of the blank. Then, while the folders 34 are held momentarily in raised position, they guide the upwardly extending blank portions into 6!] ga gement with-twisted belts 51 which are appropriately mounted upon the track members 13, the driving pulleys of these belts being slidable along a transverse shaft 52 mounted at its ends upon the side members 12 and driven by appropriate gearing 53 from the shaft 31. The belts 51 fold the upstanding blank portions downwardly upon the body portions of the blanks.

The specific construction of the members 17 will be more clearly seen from Figs. 1 and 3. Each of these members embodies an arched guide portion 54 engaged with the track bar 15, a finger portion 55 pro ecting from the portion 54 toward the inlet end of the machine, and a projecting plate portion 56 standing on edge in a vertical plane, sald portion 56 extending from the portion 54 toward the delivery end of the machine. Each finger portion 55 carries a spring-pressed shoe 57 which holds the blanks in engagement with the drag lugs 29. Blank-creasing chains 58 are trained around sprockets 59 and 60 which are mounted at the outersides of the plate portions 56 of the members 17, the sprockets 59 being driven by a transverse shaft 61 upon which they are slidably keyed. The ends of this shaft are mounted upon the side members 12 and appropriate gearing 62 is provided for transmitting motion from the shaft 49 to said shaft 61. Preferably, the center of shaft 61 is provided with a pulley 63 alined with a similar pulley 64 on the shaft 52, and

68 and being adjustably connected at 69 with the plate members 56. The sprockets 59 are so related with the guides 67 as to cause acute angular spaces 70 (Fig. 7 to exist between the blades 66 and the blank B under portions of the chains 58, whereas the remaining lower reach portions of said chains are held by the guides 67 so that the lower edges of their blades 66 are considerably below the upper side of the blank B. Hence, the blades 66 will perform individual creasing operations upon the blank B as will be clear from Fig. 7, and by the time the blank has been completely creased, the folders 34 are raised by the cams 46 and associated parts, as above descrlbed.

An appropriate feeder 71 (Fig. 2 is provided for the blanks B, said feeder being driven by a shaft 72 which is connected by a universal 72 with the shaft 49. This feeder 71 may embody a conventional reciproca-tory ejector for the blanks. and an adjustable gauge 73 for allowing discharge of only one blank at a time. Upper and lower feed rollers 74 and 75 are shown for gripping the blanks as they are ejected from the feeder and guiding them between the presser bars 57 and the drag chains 28. Roller 74 extends between the side members 12 and is driven by a belt or other desired means 76 (Fig. 2 The rollers 75 are relatively small and they are carried by levers 77 mounted on the track members 13, said levers being provided with springs 7 8 which move them in a direction to force the rollers 75 toward the roller 74 to insure effective blank gripping.

The construction of the blank feeding means constitutes no part of the present invention and any desired mechanism may be used for-this purpose. In fact, hand-feeding could be used if desired.

In operation, the blanks are fed between the presser bars 57 and the drag chains 28 and the latter advance them into engagement with the creasing chains 58. These chains perform the creasing operation and as they are positively driven, they assist in the blank advancing operation. By the time. the creases have been formed, the folders 34 are swung upwardly and while these foldersremain raised, they guide the upwardly folded blank portions into engagement with the belts 51, which fold said upwardly folded Iglalnk portions downwardly upon the blank When adjustment is to be made for blanks of a different width, the set screws 23 are loosened, the pins 20 are engaged with the lugs 21 and 22, and the screws 18 are operated, thereby unitarily adjusting the members 13 and 17 and the parts carried thereby. After adjustment, the screws 23 are again tightened and the pins 20 removed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, parallel longitudinal horizontally spaced track members; blank advancing and folding means mounted on said track members,

means mounting said members for adjustment toward and from each other, said advancing and folding means being shiftable bodily with said members when adjusting the same: parallel longitudinal blank-overlying members above said frame members, said blank overlying members having blank creasing means and form portions about which the blanks are folded by said folding means; and means mounting said blank-overlying members for adjustment toward and from each other; said creasing means and form portions being shiftable bodily with said blank-overlying members when adjusting the latter.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1; to- I gether with transverse driving shafts for said advancing means, said folding means and said creasing means, said shafts being slidably connected with said means respectively, and means mounting said shafts.

3. In a machine of the class described, a base having a horizontal trackway extending transversely of the machine; parallel hori- Zontally spaced longitudinal track members extending across said trackway and mounted on the latter for adjustment toward'and from each other; blank advancing and folding means mounted on said track members and shifta-ble bodily with said members when adjusting the latter; a second trackway unidirectional with the first, and means supporting said second trackway above said frame members; and longitudinal blank overlying members supported by said second trackway for adjustment toward and from each other, said blank-overlying members having blank creasing means and form portions about which the blanks are folded by said folding means, said creasing means and form por tions being shiftable bodily with said blankoverlying members when adjusting the latter.

4. In a machine of the class described, a base having a horizontal trackway extending transversely of the machine; parallel horizontally spaced longitudinal track members extending across said trackway and mounted on the latter for adjustment toward and from each other; blank advancing and folding means mounted on said track members and shiftable bodily with said members when adjusting the latter; longitudinal side members rigidly carried by said base in outwardly spaced relation with said track members, transverse drive shafts for said blank-advancing and folding means, said shafts being mounted on said side members and slidably connected with said blank advancing and holding means; a second trackway unidirectional with the first and rigidly mounted on said side members above said track members, longitudinal blank-overlying members supported by said second trackway for adjustment toward and from each other, blank creasing means mounted on these members and active as forms about which the blanks are folded by said folding means, and a transverse drive shaft for said creasing means slidably connected with the latter and mounted on said side members.

5. A structure as specified in claim 1; together with means for connecting said blankoverlying members with said track members for adjustment bodily therewith.

6. A structure as specified in claim 1; said blank-overlying members and said track members having vertically alined openings, and pins insertable into said openings to connect the two sets of members for uniform adjustment.

7. In a machine of the class described, a base having a-horizontal trackway extending transversely of the machine, parallel longitudinal side members secured to said base, parallel track members crossing and supported by said trackway between said side members, sprockets at the ends of said track members and blank-advancing chains trained around said sprockets, a transverse drive shaft for certain of said sprockets, these sprockets being slidably engaged with said shaft and the latter being mounted on said side members; upwardly swingable blank folders mounted at the outer sides of said track members, actuating mechanisms for said folders mounted on said track members, a transverse operating shaft for said mechanisms slidably engaged with the same and mounted on said side members; a rigid transverse track supported by said side members above said longitudinal track members, longitudinal blank-overlying members supported by said rigid transverse track for adjust-ment toward and from each other; blankcreasing chains at the outer sides of said blank-overlying members and acting as forms about which the blanks are folded by said folders, sprockets for said creasing chains mounted on said blank-overlying members, and a drive shaft for certain of these sprockets, the latter being slidably engaged with the drive shaft and this shaft being mounted on said blank-overlying members and said side members.

8. In a machine of the class described, a longitudinal blank-overlying member, a blank-engaging shoe yieldably mounted on one end portion of said member, and blankcreasing means mounted on the other end of said member.

9. A structure as specified in claim 8; said member having a transverse track-engaging portion between its ends.

10. In a machine of the class described, means for advancing a blank, a blank-creasing chain having a reach to engage and crease the upper side of the blank as the latter is advanced, means for upwardly folding the blank about the blank-creasing portion of said chain, and means for driving said chain to assist in advancing the blank while said folding means is in operation.

11. In a machine of the class described, means for advancing a blank, a driven blankcreasing chain having a reach to engage and crease the upperside of the blank as the latter is advanced, a normally lowered upwardly swingable member adapted to fold an end of the blank about the creasing portion of the chain, means beyond said chain for downwardly folding the upwardly folded portion of the blank onto the blank body, and means for upwardly swinging said member upon completion of the blank-creasing operation and for holding it raised until the blank is engaged with said means for downwardly folding said blank portion.

12. In a machine of the class described, a horiz ontal track having a chain guide along its upper edge, a blank-advancing chain engaged with said guide, a driven blank-creasing chain mounted above said track and having creasing blades projecting outwardly, horizontal guide means for the lower reach of said creasing chain, a normally lowered upwardly swingable member mounted at one side of and supported by said track, and means for upwardly swinging said member to upwardly fold the creased blank around said creasing blades.

13. In a machine of the class described, a chain comprising pivotally connected links each having a longitudinal blank-creasing blade, said blades extending obliquely in a lateral direction from the chain links, .allowing a creased blank to be folded around the alinedblades without striking said links.

14. In a machine of the class described, a support having a body portion and a laterally projecting portion, a bearing slidably mounted on said lateral portion, spring means urging said bearing toward said body portion, a blank-folding member pivoted to said bearing and having a cam abutting said support to against the action of said spring means when slide said bearing outwardly said folding member is swung about its pivot, and means for so swinging said member.

15. In a machine of the class described, a blank folder comprising a series of closely spaced parallel blank-engaging rollers, and a carrier for said rollers, said carrier having means by which it may be movably mounted.

16. In a machine of the class described, a blank folder comprising a plate having means whereby it may be movably mounted, said plate having elongated unidirectional flangesprojecti-ng from one of its sides, and a plurality of closely spaced parallel blankengaging rollers extending between and rotatably mounted on said flanges.

17. In a machine of the class described, a blank-creasing chain having a reach to engage and crease one side of a blank as the latter is advanced, means for folding the blank about the blank-creasing portion of said chain, and means for driving said chain.

'18. In a machine of the class described, two chains having parallel reaches to engage opposite sides of a blank, one of said chains having a fiat outer side to abut the blank, the other chain being provided along one of its sides with a plurality of alined blades to engage the blank, and means for folding the blank about said alined blades.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto aflixed our signatures.

' HERBERT L. MITCHELL.

ROBERT C. SHEPHERD. 

